Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-04
THE LAND QUESTION.
Citizens and CaitlemeH Meet nt Cole
RADIO and DisapproYe the Hous-
ton and Browning Bills.
Resolutions Adopted Setting Forth What
They Deem a Proper Price to Pay
for Using School Lands.



1ty, and many leading citizens, was held
at the opera house this afternoon for the
purpose of considering the probable land
legislation by the present session OF the
Legislature, and the setting forth of the
views of the people OF this section OF The
state on TIE great land question. MAJOR
". V. Johnson, manager OF the Magnolia
Cattle Company, WAS called to the chair,
and made very pointed address TO the
meeting. He spoke at some length Of the
depreciation of values in the stock
raising portion Of the state, as well as the
decrease of revenue to the whole state,
under the present obnoxious land laws
and made the assertion that property
values had decreased more than 50,000,-
600. directly traceabie to unWise land
policy. Taking his company as al eX-
ample, he gave the following figures to
illustrate the probable workings of sucn
bills as Browning aud Houston have in
troduced. The Magnolia Company own
200. coo acres of land, and have under
fence in their pastures 100 900
sacres of school land. Their own
land is valued at 100000, and
on this land they run 100000
worth of cattle. Their land cannot be
fenced and made useful to them without
leasing and fencing the intermediate
school sections. Still, under the Brown
ing bill they cannot lease this land, and
under the Houston bill if they jnclose it
they are felons. What would their land
be worth in the market if they had to pull
down their fences and turn it into an
open range, and what lnducement does
it offer to purchasers?
Mr.. J. T. Harness followed the chair
man in O brief address, stating that it
was the first time that he had
ever attended a meeting called to
ask favors from friends, but that
the bills of Browning and Houston were
totally obnoxi- US to the people OF this
country, and that it was high time the
people were expressing themselves. That
he thought the great mistake the state
made was in rating the LANDS too high
t. at if land was clsssed at 50 or SO an
acre it would entail lease price of 10 tC
10 cents, and that this was more than the
quality of the lands would warrant.
Other speakers followed him, and after
| q thorough discussion of the subject q
committee composed of w. V. Johnson
J. S. McWilliams, W. S Conan and j. T
Beal were appointed to draft SIT of res
olutions, and after some deliberation they
presented the following:
| Resolved, that the chairman of this
/ meeting Shall appoint committee of two
persons to observe carefully any and al
proposed legislation effeCting business in
terests in this part of the state, and de
termine what should be done to protec
it from unwise, or to secure favorable
legislation.
Resolved, that the chairman of THU
meeting be added to that committee ant
made the chairman thereof, and 1t shall
become his duty to call this COMMITTEES
together as often as it may appear to hin
necessary.
| Resolved, that such committee shall
give earnest and constant attention to tn
duties hereby imposed, and exert them
selves to secure the greatest possible
benefits from legislation for this part o
the country.
Resolved, that it is the sense of thi
meeting that no natural hostility does o
should exist between the pastoral and tn
agricultural clssses, and wherever sucl
hustilities may be found it will always b,
ascertained that it proceeds from unWis
legislation; that if the laws are framed
for the purpose of sustaining one clas
at the expense and injury of the other
hostility necessarily results; but wher
the laws are calculated to foster and en-
courage both classes the happiness AM
prosperity of both are promoted.
Resolved, that therefore it is the judg
ment of this meeting that the passage o
q law should be encouraged that viii
tend to the accomplishment of the folloW
ing purposes:
l. A classification of the state schoo
lands into agricultural and pastoral divi
sions.
,. The leasing of the agricultural land
foI reasonable number of years, at
minimum annual rental of 4 cents pc
acre, subject to the purchase by actua
settlers under proper restrictions.
3. The leasing of the pastoral lands TO
a reasonable number of years, say six t
ten years, at minimum rental of cent
per acre, payable annually'in advance an,
subject to competitive bidding at time @
letting. That such lease shall be absolut
for the time agreed upon, and at the en-
OF the lease the state shall consider tn
improvements erected by the lessee al,
4 allow said lessee reasonable compensa
Hon therefor; this latter clause applying
4 to both pastoral and agricultural lands.
III Resolved, that the citizens of this par
of the state proclaim to the citizens of In
state at large that they are willing ant
desirous CT paying proper and reasonable
f compensation for any and all benefit
they may enjoy; that they desire to pur
chase or lease at fair and reasonable
, prices and terms the land necessary TO
the conducting of their business, whethe
l pastoral or agricultural; that the repre-
sentation of politicians and others to thu
| contrary are not only slanderouS and IN
1 just, but have already resulted
, IN great injury to the indus
t tries of this part OF the state. We wan
only what is necessary for the prosperit,
} OF our Industrial enterprises, and wish u
pay for all we receive at its proper value
Resolved, that we disspprove the spiri
and purpose Of the bills introduced re
spectively by the Representative of thi
district, Mr.. Browning, and State Sena
tor Temple Houston; that both bills ar
calculated to inflict much evil upon
community already suffering greatly from
the evil effects of uuwise legislation, ant
that The committee now appointed shall
do ell in their power to defeat the passag
of both bills.
. The resolutions were uuanimousl'
: adopted, and from 1.-THE expressions t
would seem thst they were the unani
nous sentiments of the people of TIT
I, Panhandle. The committee on leeisls